


Stand by Me

by Osomatsu_niisan



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Gen, Other, Waddles is also kinda just there, gnomes are probably like mice they're everywhere
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:41:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22162735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Osomatsu_niisan/pseuds/Osomatsu_niisan
Summary: Arguments can lead to uncertainty and that can lead to fear.
Kudos: 3





	Stand by Me

In a huff, Dipper Pines plopped down beside the window, peering out into the surrounding trees. For a town as bizarre as Gravity Falls, it was almost surprising that the trees swayed around the Shack without as much as a gnome emerging or something of the sort. Almost as if there was normality around the woods, which Dipper obviously knew was the opposite of the truth.

His heart sunk. If he could go back in time just twenty minutes earlier, he would. He hated that it had happened, even if it was bound to. He hated the feeling of arguing. It'd happened before, and it left sour tastes in his mouth. Once again, he could feel the bitterness on his tongue. He always feared that if he and his sister Mabel fought more, they'd eventually break apart. It was a scary thing to think about.

They were at a point in their lives where they needed the other more than ever. They were going to be preteens by the end of the summer, which meant a lot of things. High school, crushes, puberty. That last part was especially scary. If Dipper was going to survive high school, he was going to need Mabel. He'd seen enough to know that high school was unforgiving, and he wasn't quite ready to be shoved into lockers or take part in musicals, god forbid. 

He was so absorbed in the thoughts of having to sing and prance around school that he barely noticed a nudge from his side. He turned his attention back into the room to find Waddles pushing against his side. "Pff, hey Waddles," Dipper mumbled, reaching out to scratch behind the pig's ears. Waddles looked up at him and snorted. 

Dipper sighed. It had only been five minutes since Mabel had stormed out of their shared room and somewhere downstairs. He really wanted to go and apologize, but chances were she was still heated, or maybe she was feeling as guilty as he was. He felt that maybe they needed some time apart before he tried to say sorry, but he also really wanted it to be okay as soon as possible. 

It was an awful feeling, but he believed it'd be over soon. It had worked out fine the other times they'd had serious arguments, why should this be any different? Before the anxiety could take over, Waddles climbed up onto Dipper's lap, pressing his snout into his chest. Dipper couldn't stifle a snort, and continued to scratch the pig behind his ears.

\--

Meanwhile, Mabel was laying face down on the rug in the living room, letting the shagginess scratch at her face as she made no effort to move. She felt absolutely horrible, which was unusual for her. Arguing never really led to feeling good, and this wasn't an exception. Nobody had really noticed her, except for Waddles, who had stood with his snout pressed to the back of her head for two minutes straight before wandering off. 

High school was going to be too much for them if they broke off now. Who would keep Mabel from biting anyone who called her weird? Who would be the one to keep Dipper in check if he started worrying about things that could only happen in Gravity Falls once whey were back in California? She'd thought high school would be a dream, finding someone who loved her and maybe sing some songs, but after seeing one face to face, she'd changed her mind.

They were twins. That meant they had to stick to each other, right? There were bumps in the road, she knew, but she still had to stick by Dipper, even if he was a loser. 

She didn't know what to really feel or think as she lay there. She just kinda felt numb. 

Maybe advice. But who was there to go to? Certainly not grunkle Stan. What could he really know about sibling relationships? That didn't really leave her with many options around the Mystery Shack. She had no idea if Soos had siblings, and Wendy wasn't really available at the moment. So, Mabel continued to lay on the floor.

\--

Dipper anxiously watched the clock as it ticked down minute after minute. About ten minutes had passed since his sister had stormed off. Maybe he should go look for her, he thought. He rose off his bed, almost tripping over a pencil in the process. He picked it up and stashed it behind his ear quickly. Waddles lifted his ears in curiosity as he watched from his perch on Mabel's bed. 

To steady himself in case Mabel was still mad, he took a few deep breaths, each one sounding like a wheezing animal. He sighed, adjusted his hat and made his way to the stairs. Descending each wooden stair with a creak, he found himself in the living room, where Mabel was laying face down. "What. Are you doing?" Dipper asked in almost amusement, making his way to his sister and sitting by her.

"Sibernating," her voice drifted muffledly out of the shag of the carpet. "Sibernating?" Dipper echoed. "Hibernating because I'm sad," Mabel replied, her voice still muffled. "I'm fairly sure that's not how hibernation works, Mabel," Dipper coughed. "Fine. Then I'm laying here because I'm smad," she exclaimed. "Smad??" Dipper parroted, almost snorting.

"Sad and mad at the same time. Smad." Mabel said, sitting up and quickly patting down her fuzzed-up hair. "That's not a word," Dipper said, trying to hide his slight amusement. "I made it up just now, so it is!" Mabel proclaimed, a grin crawling onto her face. "Oh come on, that's ridiculous," Dipper snorted, feeling the corners of his lips start to curl.

"Listen. I wanted to-" Dipper started awkwardly, but Mabel jumped in to finish for him. "Apologize? Yeah, me too," she said, looking down at the carpet so she didn't have to meet her brother's eyes. "How did you know-" Dipper mumbled before Mabel stuck another wide grin in his face. "Twin sense, bro!" she said, flopping back into sitting. "Okay, now that's definitely not a thing," Dipper said, his voice almost amusing his tone.

"And why not?" Mabel stuck her tongue out at him. "Telekinesis isn't real, sis," Dipper replied, straightening his hat. "We've seen a merman, we've battled demons yet you don't believe in psychic powers?" Mabel said, sounding almost skeptical. "How can you prove that telekinesis is real, though? Can you read my mind?" Dipper retorted.

"I bet you I can!" Mabel squealed. "Go on, then. Try to read the deepest depths of my brain," Dipper smirked. Mabel pressed her fingers to her temples in an attempt to look serious before blurting out, "You're thinking about Wendy, aren't you!" 

Dipper threw himself at his sister. "What, no!" he bawked, his face exploding in a very bright shade of red. "You're blushing! I was right!" Mabel cried with laughter, and Dipper felt a sense of familiarity wash over him. The two lay on the floor, gasping for breath for a while before Dipper wiped a tear from his eye and looked over at his sister.

"Sooo... we good now?" he inquired, almost having forgotten the argument. "Oh yeah, totally." Mabel gave him a finger gun as a small set of bumps echoed from the staircase. They turned to look, and Waddles came bounding down the stairs, straight over to Mabel. 

"Waddles!" Mabel barely had time to get out before her pet pig started to press his snout against her chest. Dipper couldn't help but grin a bit. Maybe the future wouldn't be so bad after all, as long as he had Mabel by his side. Even the idea of a musical high school felt bearable with her around. They'd stuck by each other for so long, so why WOULD they break apart now?

Silence drifted over for a while before Stan's voice broke the magic, if you could call it that.

"Kids! I need some help taking out all these gnomes!" he shouted, followed by the loud clang of a shovel hitting something. Dipper and Mabel looked at each other and groaned. Clearly, whatever gnomes were still around were still not over the rejection. They got up, following the sound of their great-uncle's grunts and shovel whacks, silently thanking Gravity Falls for bringing them closer than before.


End file.
